Christmas Dinner 2023: Cooking shows to inspire your festive feast this year including Nigella, Hairy Bikers & Mary Berry

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas - the panic in supermarkets as customers look to gather those last-minute ingredients for what will hopefully be the perfect Christmas dinner, for this year anyway. There are few things more stressful in life than planning and executing a Christmas dinner for family and friends; they are, after all, some of the harshest food critics this side of a Michelin Guide. 

But if you’re one of those people who hasn’t been inspired on what to serve for this year’s Christmas Dinner, and the idea of a takeaway isn’t quite as homely compared to a stuffed turkey, pigs in blankets, or a festive nut roast for those who abstain from meat, you’re very fortunate that there are a cornucopia of cooking shows specially designed for this time of year, wheeled out (cruelly) weeks before the big occasion. 

But alas, streaming services can sometimes provide too many options, leaving some of us - myself included - endlessly scrolling through programme guides and looking at the barrage of culinary shows that it gets to a point where you forget somewhat why you ended up browsing Netflix or ITVX in the first place.

NationalWorld has taken a look at the festive Christmas guide and is here to provide you with five cooking show suggestions, themed specifically around Christmas delicacies, which are either about to hit our screens before Christmas day or, thankfully, available to stream to pause for those moments to carefully follow the instructions provided. 

What cooking shows are available to watch before Christmas Dinner 2023?

Mary Berry's Highland Christmas - streaming on BBC iPlayer

The former icon of “The Great British Bake Off”, Mary Berry, takes a winter break to the Scottish Highlands. While there, she prepares a traditional Cranachan wreath, which is a dessert made of oats, fruit, and cream. She also makes a cheese fondue and her classic Yule log.

Talking about the special, Berry said: “The festive holidays are all about sharing special times with friends and family and so what better way than cooking some of my favourite dishes with a traditional Scottish twist?."

Nigella's Amsterdam Christmas - Thursday 21 December at 8pm - BBC One

Nigella Lawson, with family roots in the Netherlands' capital city that go back for generations, plans to enjoy her favourite spots in the "Venice of the North" during Christmas time. Her itinerary includes a sweet shop that specialises in liquorice, a Dutch cheese shop, and a chippy that always has long queues.

During her visit, Nigella will purchase special ingredients to use in her festive feasts back home, drawing inspiration from both Dutch cuisine and the Indonesian influence on the city. She will prepare a sumptuous chicken biryani, traditional Dutch speculaas (spiced biscuits), and other recipes that are perfect for a Christmas feast. Her menu also features a no-bake advocaat and ginger cake, Dutch mussels, and a spectacular cocktail.

Jamie: Keep Cooking at Christmas - Saturday December 23 at 5:40am and streaming on Channel 4

Jamie Oliver makes gorgeous food gifts, including a roasted mulled wine ham cooked and glazed in all the flavours of Christmas, ready-to-bake flavoured cheeses, and the ultimate yule log

The Hairy Bikers Coming Home for Christmas - streaming on BBC iPlayer

The Hairy Bikers are hitting the road in search of magical seasonal ingredients. During their journey, they meet award-winning local producers and discover how tradition and the modern world are influencing each other in unique and exciting ways.

This year's Christmas preparation for Dave and Si will tell the story of an incredibly emotional year, from the doctors and nurses who helped Myers with his cancer treatment, to the food producers who made him fall back in love with food, and to the family and friends who supported him through his darkest days.

The Great Food Guys - Saturday December 23 at 11:30am

Chef Nick Nairn and Dougie Vipond celebrate Christmas by cooking up a festive feast in their country kitchen located in Aberdeenshire. They showcase the fantastic range of food and drink that Scotland has to offer by making an alternative to turkey - slow-roast lamb with rosemary and garlic accompanied by potato gratin dauphinoise and wilted greens. In the kitchen with them is panto queen and TV actor Elaine C Smith.